1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pick and place system and more particularly pertains to accepting workpieces to be cold forged and delivering them to a die in an efficient and safe manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of workpiece handling systems of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, workpiece handling systems of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of moving workpieces by conventional methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,616 issued Jul. 6, 1971, to Schussler discloses a means for controlling the movements of a manipulator. U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,391 issued Dec. 18, 1971, to Wilson discloses a work gripper. U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,070 issued Aug. 22, 1972, to McClellan et al. discloses a forging machine transfer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,397 issued Apr. 9, 1991, to Hite et al. discloses a method for providing progressive formers with quick-change tooling. U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,017 issued Feb. 6, 1990, to Hite et al. discloses a quick-change tooling for progressive formers and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,649 issued Apr. 21, 1992, to Hite et al. discloses a method of producing forging machines. Note the abstract of the patent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,236 issued Feb. 3, 1998, to Genet et al. discloses a pick and place transfer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,325 issued Jun. 9, 1998, to Blatt discloses a power actuated gripper. U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,544 issued Apr. 16, 2002, to Wang discloses a workpiece transfer device for a forging machine. U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,932 issued May 28, 1996, to Kuze discloses a multi-stage automatic press and assembly machine. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,578 to Steinhauser et al discloses a device for the automatic conveyance of workpieces on a multistage metal-forming machine tool.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a pick and place system that allows accepting workpieces to be cold forged and delivering them to a die in an efficient and safe manner.
In this respect, the pick and place system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of accepting workpieces to be cold forged and delivering them to a die in an efficient and safe manner.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved pick and place system which can be used for accepting workpieces to be cold forged and delivering them to a die in an efficient and safe manner. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.